‘I would recommend this book to students and trainees who wish to extend their knowledge and understanding of early years practice beyond level 3. This book is accessible, up to date and focuses on translating theory into practice, incorporating the essential higher order skill of reflection. The pedagogical foundations within place children firmly at the centre, whilst acknowledging the highly influential early years practitioner in the wider context of family, community and inclusive practice.’ Sarah Barton, Senior Lecturer and EY ITT Programme Leader, School of Education and Continuing Studies, University of Portsmouth Are you studying to become an early years teacher or educator, or studying for an early years degree, and looking for a book to guide you through your qualification? With stories of practice, questions for reflection, further reading and links to the Teachers’ Standards (Early Years), this book links professional practice with theory and research and will help you: · understand how children learn and develop · engage with the curriculum and the practice of teaching · learn more about the structure and reality of early years provision and practice for children aged from 0–8 years · develop ways to reflect upon your practice · develop professional skills and attributes needed to take a leading role · understand how to apply all of this to practice. This core textbook is ideal for students of early years and early childhood courses and will support you in your practice in the early years.

This is a practical, accessible guide to early years practice. The author examines current theories about how children learn best and focuses on how we can support and extend the learning of young children. This fully revised edition discusses Birth to Three Matters, the new Childcare Bill and the development of children's centres, and has additional focus on the Foundation Stage Profile Packed full with case studies, the book offers: practical advice on how to successfully involve parents as equal partners in the education of their children guidance to ensure that the activities and support offered to young children will promote learning across a broad and balanced Early Years curriculum a focus on special needs, multiculturalism and multilingualism, play and culture, and the importance of interactions with adults and with peers. Essential reading for students on Early Years courses, this book is also invaluable for practitioners, who can use this text as the starting point for developing their own methods within the frameworks of statutory documents relating to Early Years education.

Inclusion is a difficult, complex issue for which there are no off-the-shelf answers. To be an effective practitioner it is necessary to identify what makes each situation and circumstance unique and use this knowledge to develop strategies and approaches that are appropriate. This timely new text examines the key perceptions, perspectives and concepts around inclusion in the Early Years. Drawing on real-life experiences of practitioners, it considers the questions practitioners are likely to come across in their professional lives and how they might genuinely go about meeting the needs of all the children in their care. The book covers all aspects of inclusion including special educational needs, gender and sexuality, multiculturalism, multilingualism, Roma and traveller communities and economic wellbeing. Each chapter features: Case studies to develop reflective thinking Boxed examples to illustrate key points Questions to promote discussion and debate Annotated further reading lists With case studies drawn from current research and thinking points which encourage reflective practice, this book will be essential reading for students on early childhood studies programmes and early years foundation degrees that wish to become reflective and critically aware practitioners.

This easy-to-read series provides an introduction to some of the most important early years philosophies and shows how they can be incorporated into your setting. Each book provides: an outline of the background to the approach clear explanations of the relevance to contemporary thinking suggestions to help you plan a successful learning environment examples of what the individual approach can look like in practice. These convenient guides are essential to early years practitioners, students and parents who wish to fully understand what each approach means to their setting and children. How has Forest School helped to change attitudes about risk and challenge in the early years? What are the benefits of using this approach for children’s development, health and overall wellbeing? Bringing the Forest School Approach to your Early Years Practice provides an accessible introduction to Forest School practice. It identifies the key issues involved in setting up, running and managing a Forest school environment and offers clear guidance on resources, staffing and space required for successful play and learning outdoors. Including links to the Early Years Foundation Stage and a wide range of case studies, the book covers: The beginnings of Forest School and how practice has developed Child centred play and learning that allows for risk taking and challenge Planning for children’s individual needs, learning styles and schemas The learning environment The role of the adult including health and safety and children’s welfare. Full of practical advice, this convenient guide will help practitioners to deliver new, exciting and inspiring opportunities for the children they care for.

Pedagogical documentation is a vital method of assessing and observing young children, and is a practice that enables practitioners, families and children to learn alongside each other. This book draws on the projects and experiences of senior researchers from nations including Australia, Canada, Sweden, Singapore, the UK and the USA to highlight multiple approaches to pedagogical documentation. Topics explored include: using video in pedagogical documentation making the most of outdoor learning environments developing pedagogical documentation within curriculum frameworks the relationship with Early Years transitions the potential of pedagogical documentation for leadership enactment. The book offers guidance, support and inspiration to practitioners and researchers on how to implement meaningful and sustainable child-focused observation in early years contexts.

Inspired by the first-hand experiences of those studying early childhood education and care, this book supports students as they gain advanced knowledge and skills, and embark on the journey from inexperienced student to graduate professional. Bringing together advanced theory, links to research, and illustrative case studies, Advanced Work-based Practice in the Early Years enables students to consolidate learning by applying theory to practice and identifying the skills, knowledge and personal traits which will help them succeed as a graduate practitioner. Chapters address a wealth of topical issues relating to both the development of the child and the student's own professional development. Areas of focus include ethical practice, safeguarding and child protection, the voice of the child, the role of the mentor, observation, assessment and the social and cultural factors which may impact on a child's development. Including reflective activities, practical tips, and examples of student experience throughout, this is an essential text for all early years students as they make the transition from academic study to professional practice.

The long-awaited new edition of NAEYC's book Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs is here, fully revised and updated! Since the first edition in 1987, it has been an essential resource for the early childhood education field. Early childhood educators have a professional responsibility to plan and implement intentional, developmentally appropriate learning experiences that promote the social and emotional development, physical development and health, cognitive development, and general learning competencies of each child served. But what is developmentally appropriate practice (DAP)? DAP is a framework designed to promote young children's optimal learning and development through a strengths-based approach to joyful, engaged learning. As educators make decisions to support each child's learning and development, they consider what they know about (1) commonality in children's development and learning, (2) each child as an individual (within the context of their family and community), and (3) everything discernible about the social and cultural contexts for each child, each educator, and the program as a whole. This latest edition of the book is fully revised to underscore the critical role social and cultural contexts play in child development and learning, including new research about implicit bias and teachers' own context and consideration of advances in neuroscience. Educators implement developmentally appropriate practice by recognizing the many assets all young children bring to the early learning program as individuals and as members of families and communities. They also develop an awareness of their own context. Building on each child's strengths, educators design and implement learning settings to help each child achieve their full potential across all domains of development and across all content areas.